[This Jeremy Cash scouting report, with a Vikings slant, has been provided to Vikings Territory by Draft Season. Be sure to check back for more and also be sure to visit Draft Season to quench your NFL Draft thirst.]

Jeremy Cash | Safety, Duke

Measurements

Height – 6’1
Weight – 210 Lbs.
Age – 23

At First Glance

The first step in the offseason process is the Reese’s Senior Bowl down in Mobile, AL. Luke Inman (@Luke_Spinman) is heading down there for another year of coverage, so why not have him preview all that goes on during the week of the premiere offseason bowl game.

We dive into the week from a media coverage perspective, how players can hurt/help their stock, why practices are WAY more important than the game, how interviews can be even more important than anything on the field, and we also highlight some players to watch for — especially from a Vikings fan perspective.

It’s officially draft season at Vikings Territory, making this the perfect time to begin NFL Draft speculation. Who will the Minnesota Vikings select with the 23rd-overall pick in April? Will general manager Rick Spielman trade back for more ammunition? Does the team need to focus on offense or defense in the first round? Without football on Sundays, there’s more than enough time to second guess what the Vikings will do this offseason.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report‘s premier draft expert, recently spent some time analyzing Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith. The 6’3″, 240-pound prospect was a consensus top-10 pick before his gruesome knee injury in last month’s Fiesta Bowl, but may see his stock slip while recovering from a torn ACL and LCL. According to Miller, that makes teams like the Vikings a dark horse landing spot for the Fighting Irish superstar:

“If Jaylon Smith falls in the draft, I could see a team like the Minnesota Vikings pairing him with young guys like Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. Smith could play weak-side linebacker if you want to keep Kendricks in the middle, or, he could play middle linebacker and Kendricks could play that weak-side spot for Mike Zimmer. If you could imagine those three linebackers chasing down Aaron Rodgers, Vikings fans have to be very happy about it.”

It’s unlikely Smith falls that far, but stranger things have happened to the Vikings. In 2013, Minnesota held the same exact pick and was fortunate enough to land defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd. The former Florida Gator was labeled the draft’s “No. 1 player on tape” by Greg Cosell, but fell due to concerns over his arm length and injury history. Smith may fall to the Vikings late in the first round, but it would take a miracle from “Trader Rick” to make the dream of a Barr-Kendricks-Smith trio a reality.

[This Alex Collins scouting report is the first of many, each with a Vikings slant, provided to Vikings Territory by Draft Season. Be sure to check back for more and also be sure to visit Draft Season to quench your NFL Draft thirst.]

RB Alex Collins, Arkansas

Measurements

Height – 5’11Weight – 215 lbsAge – 21

Pros

Powerful runner. Collins can get loose on the outside with his speed, but he isn’t afraid to rush up the middle and pound his way for some tough yardage.

Compactly built. Collins is a well put-together at 5’11, 215 lbs allowing him to take a hit and drive a pile.

Fast for a back his size. Goes from zero to full-speed in a hurry. Collins’ great acceleration makes him a true threat to score anytime he touches the football.

Adds value as a kick returner.

Hard to bring down. Collins rarely goes down on first contact. He keeps his powerful legs moving, constantly fighting for more yardage.

Shows good patience as a runner. Follows his blocks well and waits for a hole to open up before blasting through it.

It’s not your fault that the Vikings were unable to defeat the Seattle Seahawks in last Sunday’s NFC first round playoff game. You may have missed a 27 yard field goal that would have put Minnesota ahead with 22 seconds left in regulation, but that is not why your team lost.

There were many things that you and the rest of the Vikings did well last Sunday. However, the final score of the game was the result of a multitude of different instances and not just one single play.